Hades Project Zeorymer

Unfortunately I bought this from Manga Entertainment’s supposed “classic DVD collection” well this series is just straight up wack….with a few laughable exceptions. Animation Poorish 80’s animation that seems to add to the series kornyness. Character designs are very similar nothing that really stands out. During the battle scenes you can see some transformer/evangelion-ish attacks which are just LAME but can also be amusing. Sound The only mentionable part of this was the strange dialogue, which in turn comes from a strange and dumb storyline nevertheless the voice actors did a good job playing these characters (english dub I mean).Story Hmm lets see boy has to pilot a giant mecha because its his destiny and he’s the only one who can do it..lol sound familiar..It’s just a very shallow storyline which can seem familiar to anyone who has seen the many evangelion incarnates. Its not a very long series anyway so it’s quite rushed and the ending was just…..DUMB! Character The characters are very one dimensional and predictable, you don’t really get to know any of them for long so what more can I say. The main character is the only one with a smudge of depth and to be quite honest it’s just not interesting enough. Enjoyment I enjoyed the part where the credits came up and I took out the DVD. Value This series is just another Apocalyptic knock-off done very cheaply and badly. Probably the best thing about this series was the title itself Project Hades…sounds cool..then again I want those 2 hours back 2/10

This was... pretty bad. I mean, it wasn't unwatchable. The art and animation were adequate, and the soundtrack was tolerable if dated. The plot comes close enough to making sense for an action/mecha series. But the characterizations were weird. The "bad guys" were frequently more sympathetic than our protagonists, and not in any way that really encouraged deeper consideration. The core plot also just wasn't really developed. The ultimate mastermind behind the whole thing seems to have launched the most complex world takeover plot ever... for no particular reason. And they never really clear up what the goal was. Also, the titular Zeorymer is a boringly invinciblemech. It wins every fight with the same move. I don't know. As an example of 80s mecha-action, it isn't terrible. And it is short, so it might make a little sense to sample it. But I can't come up with much else to recommend it. Watch some of Armored Trooper Votoms instead.

Despite the mixed reception, this OVA looked like it might have some potential: Attractive art similar to the Dangaioh OVA but darker, with decent animation and storyboarding, oftentimes elaborate mech designs, and an initially atmospheric and cinematic presentation. There are obvious proto-Evangelion vibes, featuring a brooding, depressive, whiny MC, and quite a few psychological elements, though it's already been done with the batshit psychotic characters chewing scenery in the darker moments of Tomino's Gundam series or the grimdark militancy and paranoia of Takahashi's Votoms. The problem is the clunky expository dialogue from the robotic Chinese vampire villains or whatever these face-tatted fellows are supposed tobe and how cheesy they are in general. It's obvious even from the first episode that the story is going to stutter throughout the entire duration, the plot armor is going to be off the charts, and the MC, who was a specially crafted breeding stud to be placed in the cockpit with a pretty female, will putter around with the next villain for foreplay, then blow them away effortlessly. While the effects animation is passable, the fights aren't well choreographed. They're usually hastily concluded with no effort due to a half-assed epiphany after the MC is done whining and flailing around, then he finishes them off with the Hyper-Giga-Super-Duper Star Beam or Chad Fist of Doom or whatever inane nonsense the staff come up with on the spot. It's one of those shows that suffers from the immersion-breaking Sailor Moon effect, where the villains take him on 1-on-1, like they're gallant duelists, and you throw your hands in the air in exasperation and ask why they don't combine their forces and win, because we all know they could if they wanted to, just as they finally attempt in the final episode once the MC is unstoppable. This is why a war scenario is superior and should be used in place of a Sailor Moon-esque setup. Usually, Villain A is hyucking at the poor heroes. Villain B conspires against him. Villain A is killed by the heroes as a result, followed by Villain B getting killed, then Villain C... Just attack at once, you nincompoops! What are the antagonists even doing!? Painting their nails and doing their makeup? It sure looks like it, what with their gaudy character designs. Yet their base is floating above Japan in plain sight, for fuck's sake! The MC doesn't even realize someone is piloting the first mech, and for his second battle, he freezes up, not wanting to kill the person inside. What a pansy! Then he, of course, flips out with a psychopathic personality, further fueling the dark psychological style, which still wasn't too common in mech anime. The sibling rivalry conflict between the twins is contrived and laughable, and the MC's shift in personality is equally unintentionally hilarious, along with his MWHAHAHAHA cackling edgelordism. All the character relationships rely on these silly tropes and threadbare interactions, such as passionless romances, half-baked existentialism, ambitious and scheming upstarts, etc., rather than any depth. By the end, the psychological elements are pushed further by the fractured psyche of the MC, and the twist deepens the connection between the MC's different identities and his enemies, but it comes much too late and nothing is explored with any rigor. By episode 3, you know the ending is going to be terrible and rushed, given there are still so many enemies and loose ends. The final episode feels like it should be at the halfway point, but all the enemies are dispatched quickly and with ease, and we're given a lame cop-out ending. Even with such a weak story and characters, they still try to milk tears with the trashy soundtrack, especially at the end. There seems to be a quasi-attempt at making the end tragic, but the execution is more akin to a three-ring circus. It's kind of sad this is such a poor OVA because the reveals in episode 4 had a great deal of potential if this were at all well written. The OVA is somewhat notable for its influence, but it's not worth watching except for the most die-hard mech completionist.

Project Zeorymer is an anime series that showcases excellent animation and character designs. The visuals remain consistent throughout the show, despite the aging animation, which is still visually appealing. Each character has a unique appearance that accurately reflects their personality, which is commendable. However, the narrative is rather simplistic and fails to explore various interesting points that could have enriched the story. Moreover, the main characters lack depth, and the side antagonists receive more attention, leaving the audience wanting more. The conclusion is underwhelming and fails to inspire the audience. Although Mecha enthusiasts and classic sci-fi anime fans may enjoy Project Zeorymer, it may notbe everyone's cup of tea. Exploring other options may be more suitable for some viewers.